A familiar voice from our childhood has sadly passed away. Iconic comedienne Pat Carroll, best known for providing the voice of the sea witch in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, has died at the age of 95. Per Deadline, Carroll passed away at her home after suffering from pneumonia.
Pat Carroll was born in 1927 in Louisiana as Patricia Ann Carroll. After getting into acting at a young age after she and her family moved to Los Angeles, Carroll received her first acting gig in 1947 in the film Hometown Girl. She began to hit her stride in the world of television with a career that spanned over 70 years. She worked with some of the business’s best people, including Red Skelton, Mickey Rooney, Steve Allen, Danny Kaye, and Carol Burnett. Carroll also snagged an Emmy Award for an appearance on Sid Caesar’s House in 1956.
Pat Carroll began to enter the world of voice-overs in the 1980s. She provided the character voices for Yogi’s Treasure Hunt, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, and Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, among others. 1989 was the year her voice would achieve iconic status for a whole new generation when she provided the voice of Ursula in The Little Mermaid. Carroll also provided the musical vocals for Ursula’s signature song, “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” She would reprise the role several times after the original film’s release in sequels, a TV series, Kingdom Hearts video games, and a 2020 episode of The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse, which sadly became her final role.
Despite providing us with one of the best Disney villains, Carroll’s role did not come easy. The actress tested several times for the role of Ursula, and the part ultimately went to another actress. A year later, she was contacted to say that things were not working out with the chosen actress and was asked if she would like to take the part. The rest is Disney movie history!
Our thoughts are with Pat Carroll’s family, friends, and fans during this very difficult time. I’m sure many people will be watching The Little Mermaid in her honor today.